How to Ping a Printer: Windows & Mac (All Models)

The ping command is used to determine whether or not a computer can communicate with another over a network using the command prompt. In this guide, you’ll learn how to ping a printer – on both Windows and Mac computers.

Pinging a printer from a computer is a quick and easy way to ensure the two devices can communicate with each other over a network. By using the ping command in Mac or Windows, you can check whether or not a printer is connected to the network and actively respond to requests.

Before beginning, you must obtain the printer’s IP address from your network administrator. We’ve compiled steps on how to ping a printer on Windows and Mac.

Steps To Ping a Printer on Windows

Here are simple steps on how to ping a printer on Windows.

Step 1: Start the Command Prompt

Launch the command prompt on your computer, type “cmd” in the open field, and then click OK.

Step 2: Type the IP Address

In the command prompt window, type ping aaa.aaa.aaa.aaa (where “a” characters stand for the machine’s IP address) followed by the enter key. Ensure a space between the word “ping” and the IP address.

What Ping Response Mean

The computer will try to ping the machine four times. You will obtain one of these subsequent responses:

1. Request Timed Out: The response means the ping command was successfully transmitted over the network, but no machine or printer responded to it. Consult your system administrator to resolve the issue.
2. Destination Host Unreachable: The response means the computer isn’t reachable via the local network from which the ping was sent.
3. Bad Command or Filename: The response implies that either you mistyped the command or you’ve not enabled the TCP/IP protocol on your computer.
4. Reply From aaa.aaa.aaa.aaa: Bytes=32: The response means the computer has received replies from a network device using the specified IP address. It usually means that there is a solid connection to the machine.

If the ping request is answered, the machine can still not communicate correctly with other devices on the network, and overwritten IP addresses may persist.

To check for an overwritten IP address, unplug the machine’s Ethernet cable and try pinging it again to see if it responds to a different IP address. Again, there should be no replies. Instead, you should receive 4 “Request Timed Out” responses.

The same IP address is assigned to another networked device, such as a different computer or printer if a reply is received. Consult a network administrator to resolve the TCP/IP conflict.

Steps To Ping a Printer on Mac

Follow the steps below on how to ping a printer on a Mac.

Step 1: Navigate to Menu Bar

Start by navigating the Mac’s menu bar. Next, click the “Go” and select “Utilities.” Next, select the Network Utility icon, followed by the “Ping” tab within the Network Utility.

Step 2: Type the IP Address

Type the IP address of your network printer into the Enter a Network Address to the ping text box. Consult your IT administrator if you need help finding your printer’s IP address.

Step 3: Choose the “Send Only 10 Pings” Option

Select “Send Only 10 Pings.” Although you can alter the default value of 10 pings, this number should be fine for testing.

Step 4: Click Ping Option

Click “Ping” and then wait for the pinging process to start. Once the ping is finished, you will see the results. Request timeout for ICMP SEQ 0 to 10 means you probably didn’t enter the IP address correctly, so it’s time to repeat the process.

FAQ About Printer Pinging

Here are the most common questions Windows and Mac Users ask regarding pinging printers.

Why ping a printer?

A ping test helps in testing network connectivity. You will need access to the printer’s IP address to conduct this testing. Get the IP address by printing a configuration report if required.

How to find an IP address?

Follow the simple steps outlined below to find an IP address:

• Launch any web browser.
• Navigate to google.com.
• Type “What is my IP address” in the search field.

Some websites display your IP address and extra details, such as your approximate location and latency.

How do I determine if the ping command was successful?

If the ping command is successful, the printer will begin to respond, and the reply should appear in the command window.

If the ping command is unsuccessful, the warning “Request has Timed Out” or “Host is Unreachable” will be displayed.

How does the ping command work?

The user on the source device specifies the ping destination. Ping generates an IP datagram and sends it to the host computer’s IP software.

Datagrams are sent to their intended recipients based on whether or not the destination device is listed in the forwarding table.

If the destination IP address is not in the forwarding table, it will use ARP (IPv4) or Neighbor Discovery (IPv6) to determine the nearest default router.

Pinging your printer is one step in fixing a printer not responding error.

Keep reading: How to Hide a Printer: 13 Clever Ways

Final Thoughts

Business owners can use a network utility to identify whether a printer problem is caused by faulty hardware or software. You can eliminate any software issues if the ping command returns no errors.

When you use a ping command, your computer will send a small data packet to the printer to make sure the two devices can communicate.